For many, the idea of dating a group of men or women for a short few weeks with the possibility of a proposal at the end of it seems altogether unfathomable.
Sincerely – can someone really fall in love and be ready to get married with only a few dates – some of which are crowded with other men and women? The Bachelor / Bachelorette shows have been airing for a LONG time with no end in sight. While other dating shows have come and gone, this one is still standing. Why do fans love it so much; why do people keep watching season after season?
While I can’t speak for all Bachelor fans out there, I can share why I keep coming back season after season to see who will get that final rose, and it doesn’t all have to do with the show itself, however entertaining it may be. With Becca K’s season coming to a close, I reflected on the strange hypnotic-like allure this show has on us, and here’s what came to mind …
As humans, we inherently enjoy decoding the human mind – “Really, what was she thinking?”
The Bachelor shows provide the absolute best social experiment in messing with the human psyche – they put a crew of men or women in one house who are vying for the love of one individual. It’s like a pack of hyenas going after the same piece of carcass – it gets a little scrappy and you have to watch out for the vultures lurking above. The diverse personalities (or lack of personalities) brought on the show make for the perfect storm of bro-mances, cat fights, emotional breakdowns, binge drinking, and brawls. As the Bachelor or Bachelorette narrows down the field week by week, we watch painstakingly as they keep some of the most bizarre individuals and plead with the tv as to “really, what was she thinking?” Though some of this may be the producer’s doing, it sure does keep us entertained, on our toes, and coming back for more!
The competition is just too good!
The Bachelor shows are competitive; it’s truly a sporting event of love. In fact, both my husband and myself have done Fantasy Bachelor games or drafted our own team with wine pots for the winner. If you haven’t played the Bachelor Fantasy League or drafted your own team, you are missing out! It makes for some rowdy parties and gives you someone to root for week after week. Go ahead, draw up a poster and create a bracket for your friends or office, you will get infatuated with the show in no time!
But perhaps the best part of Bachelor watching is the gathering of friends and enjoying food, drinks, and company.
Our group gathers each week to indulge in some much-needed girl time over a smorgasbord of food and drink. I love to make 
large cheese plates, guacamole, maybe some banana blueberry bread, and other bites aptly paired with wine each week (our watch group has opted for rose recently with no pun intended – here’s a good one that I found at Target and am going to get this Crispin Rose Cider for the finale too). We have even joked about having the Bachelorette finale catered, but will likely stick to our homemade spread. But beyond the food and wine, watching the Bachelor/ette shows gives us an escape from the day-to-day grind, a time to connect with each other, disconnect from the stress of work or home life, and feel somewhat more youthful for indulging in something so mindless and light hearted.
As a mom, you can oftentimes feel the weight of the world and responsibilities of your home building, so find your escape, your girl time, or your time to be simply carefree. Whether that’s watching a show like the Bachelor with your gal pals or gathering for a game night, every mom and woman needs that time to connect with each other, to build each other up through community, and to laugh out all the stress.
